Song of Blood
by Epsilon Zeta
Summary: Thanks to Tsabo, the party is caught between a war with the Sengir clan and Kjeldor... (genre change)
1. Song of Blood - Episode One

Author's Notes: I've gotta do this chaptering thing so bear with me!!  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode One  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"The portal...it's them, isn't it?" Strider nodded gravely as several bats emerged from the vortex. They were all furry, brown, vampire bats. Among them emerged a humanoid. It appeared to be bald, with fangs. It wore a tattered outfit, signaling that it was a lower member of the household.  
  
It grunted to the bats. They picked up Sakura and headed towards the vortex. "Hey!!" Kero and Li sprung up to attack but a cloaked figure blocked their way. "Sengir Vampire 209, return with our item. I will deal with our friends." The vampire nodded and went into the portal along with the bats and an unconscious Sakura. The cloaked figure tore off the cloak revealing black armour. A sword was by his side.  
  
"This is getting old, Veldrane. Why do you still bother going through with the same trials? If the person doesn't pass, you still make them a part of your clan but as another Sengir Vampire unit!! The person also has to have a certain amount of class to get in!" The vampiric knight snorted. "You have forgotten how often we adapt. With a few extra tutorials by our side, we can turn the angels from the heavens into members of our family."  
  
He took out a card. "Word of Binding!!!" A lightning bolt came from the card and paralyzed the group. "I have some matters to attend to. Hopefully the Meekstone should make sure you do not interfere." After casting the Artifact card, Veldrane entered the portal. The vortex closed behind him.  
  
"Veldrane forgot that I have ways to get around these types of situations...Infuse!! Release us from this state!!" Three Infuse cards broke the paralyzation from the Word of Binding. Kero flew up to Strider. "Why didn't you do something and counter the Word?! Now we can't find Sakura!!"  
  
"Is your confidence in me diminishing, Kerberus? First we have to make sure this world is still the way it is when our troubles are over and balance is restored..." Strider took out some cards. "I knew holding on to these would be handy...Turnabout!!"   
  
Three Turnabout spells were used to paralyze and freeze the geological portion of the earth, the natural processes, technology and all the people. Finally, a Stasis spell was activated. "Won't the Stakes and the Meekstone be enough?"  
  
"They only affect the people. With Stasis, everything is frozen." The entity sealed the Meekstone and the Juntu Stakes as Artifact cards. "That takes care of that. We have to get to Castle Sengir. I just hope they haven't moved from their native soil..."  
  
As soon as they entered the vortex Strider created, Kero immediately felt a faint aura. "Sakura..." Strider narrowed his eyes. The last thing they needed was a bloodthirsty Clow mistress. With the Ur-Dragon still on a rampage in another world, they have to free Sakura fast.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Sakura slowly woke up. She didn't recognize the surroundings. In a panic, she flew up. 'How am I flying?!? What am I wearing?!?' Slowly she levitated to the ground. 'That was close. Where's Kero? And Li? And Strider?' She noticed an old woman in a rocking chair smiling at her. "Hush, child. You must be confused. I am not surprised. This usually happens when the power has recently been granted to someone such as yourself."  
  
"Where am I? Where are my friends?" The old woman chuckled. "Do not worry, child. The master will tell you all you need to know." Sakura slumped down on the bed. "Who are you?"  
  
"They call me Grandmother Sengir." A young girl soon arrived at the door. "Is our guest awake, Grandmother?" She looked over and smiled in delight. "It's good to finally have someone my age to talk to. I'm Irini Sengir. I'll take you to the master."  
  
The castle was luxurious, both in architectural design and internal decoration. Irini looked over at Sakura. "Amazing, isn't it? It took over four centuries to create this work of art but it all paid off in the end. Here is the master's study. I'll talk to you later, okay?" Irini left Sakura at the small study.  
  
Sakura saw three men having a discussion. One of them noticed her. "We must discuss this matter at another time. Veldrane, come up with a suitable plan for our problem. Thias, round up as many Serfs as you can." Thias chuckled. "That's my specialty as an Autocrat."  
  
"You must excuse me for my behaviour. My friends had some matter of some importance to discuss." Sakura smiled weakly. "It's no problem, really." The man gave a smile. "I'm Baron Sengir. It is nice to finally meet you, my lady." He gently kissed her hand. Sakura gave a small blush.  
  
"I understand that you will be able to answer my questions." The Baron nodded. "I will do what I can to help you find what you seek. You would probably want to know about your powers. They originate from the clan's natural abilities. Flight, superior strength and speed and other such things."  
  
"How did I get these powers in the first place?" The Baron put a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "The resonance is familiar. The last time I remember this resonance is when it came from a charm...the one we gave to Tsabo fifty years ago! How is the fellow anyway?"  
  
"We had to stop him from taking over my world. I sealed him into a card just as this charm came flying towards me." "So you have strong magic lineage?" Sakura nodded. The Baron started leading her towards a library in the basement.  
  
"I'm still confused about these powers. Is it something from Death magic?" The Baron chuckled. "As a matter of fact it is. We're vampires. You could also call some of us legends too." Whatever colour was on Sakura's face drained. "You mean I have to drink blood?!"  
  
"It rather depends. For some vampires, they need the blood for nourishment. For our clan, the blood only increases our powers. We don't necessarily need it but we do drink to make sure we have enough power to crush anybody to opposes us." He paused as they reached the library.  
  
"If you want to understand the power, you must let a few drops of blood fall onto this card. One minor detail. This may take away some of your humanity. You may not be the same once you know." She thought about it. "Will I still be able to recognize my friends?" The Baron gave a nod.   
  
Sakura took her extremely sharp fingernail and slit her hand. A few drops of blood fell onto the card. "Vampiric Tutor, show this one what she wants to know." The card began to glow and the knowledge started flowing into Sakura's mind, overtaking whatever humanity may be in that section.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Next episode: The rest of the group make it to the castle to find an unexpected surprise...  
  



	2. Song of Blood - Episode Two

Author's Notes: It's official...I've been watching too much Voyager such that logic is in my head as well as scientific vocabulary. I'll try to stop with the logic. Also, the main reason for Sakura's change in behaviour is due to the Vampiric Embrace. If anyone bothered to pay attention to the details I wrote in the last chapter of "Enter Tsabo", they would understand. Her mind has matured as well as her body due to the powers of the Sengir clan coursing through her bloodstream. As for the rest of my little vampire gang, there is the fact that they are all part of the undead. They have little emotion and more knowledge about battle tactics. They must know how to act in battle because of the war between their clan and the people of Kjeldor as you will find out in this episode.   
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Two  
  
Chapter 3  
  
The group had landed in front of the gigantic castle. "Castle Sengir. I'm glad they haven't made any changes in the past century." Kero and Li could only stare in amazement. Li's eyes narrowed. "Come on, we have to rescue Sakura!!"  
  
The boy and the beast charged towards the castle until they were thrown back by a forcefield. "What the hell?!" They repeatedly attempted to infiltrate the castle and each time, they were thrown back.  
  
Strider quickly analyzed the forcefield. "A normal defense mechanism. I suspect the Sengirs are in some sort of conflict." Li didn't care. Sakura is in that fortress and she needs to be out of that vile building. Kero blinked. "Sakura's aura is changing. Something's happening in there."  
  
"It may be due to her new vampiric abilities. That or you just detected the link between her and the Baron." Li turned to Strider. "What are you talking about? What link?" The Defender crossed his arms. "Usually, a link is established between the master and all the higher members of his clan. Sakura might already be a member."  
  
Kero's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't say that about her!! She's a fighter!! She will not be their newest member!!" Strider gave Kero a worried look. "Perhaps. I'll try to destroy the link set up by the Baron. That way, Sakura's chances of escaping will increase. Until then, she'll have to hold out for a while." Li turned his gaze back to the gigantic fortress. 'May Buddha protect you from the darkness.'  
  
The Baron had finished going over Veldrane's tactical report on the new Kjeldoran troops that have completed their training. 'The cherry blossom is different from all the others I have tested. She has a gift...something that could prove to be most useful. The Vampiric Tutor should be able to wash whatever doubts she has about us.'   
  
It was no easy task but the link has been successfully set up. If it wasn't for that, Sakura would have already left to look for her friends. A clock started to chime. The Baron slowly got up and headed towards the basement.   
  
He saw the Clow mistress, studying the historic archives carefully. She looked up. "Oh, I didn't see you there!" The Baron smiled. "My apologies if I startled you, my dear. I see you have already learned all you wanted to know from the Vampiric Tutor."   
  
"I know of your misunderstandings with the Kjeldoran people. It's awful how they want to destroy you!" He nodded. "It is a natural tendency for people to fear what they don't understand." His senses perked up as the forcefield around the castle started sending out DNA patterns of their friends outside into his mind. 'The cherry blossom's friends...time to test her loyalty.'  
  
Chapter 4  
  
The Clow mistress flew towards where the bats were being kept. Why did Kjeldor have to constantly keep bothering the clan? They have done no wrong. She opened the castle gates and pointed a finger at the two figures and the little, flying toy. They were several hundred metres away from the castle forcefield, probably trying to figure out a way to send in a spy or something.  
  
Hundreds of Sengir Bats and Sengir Vampires poured out to greet the opposition. Hopefully, this should teach them to leave her clan in peace. She ordered the troops to scare them but not to injure them.  
  
The group looked up and saw Sakura and a mob of bats and vampires flying towards them. 'My dream...it's all coming true!!' Li snapped out of his trance and looked at Strider and Kero. Kero was shaking his head in sorrow. Strider on the other hand was a little peeved. He gave Li a death glare. "I hate it when your prophetic dreams come true. Hah!! You weren't expecting that, were you?"  
  
A voice gave out a cry from behind. "Holy Day!!" A Light magic card was released, blinding the vampires. Several men on top of large dogs were waving frantically to the group. A woman started yelling at them. "Come with us!!"  
  
"Like we have a choice?" Kero muttered before joining the rest of the group with the mysterious party that appeared before them. They quickly escaped down to a small town. "Thanks for the help."   
  
"What the hell were you doing by that dump anyway?" The woman looked a bit angry. "A comrade has been captured by the clan. We were making a rescue attempt." One of the men gave Strider a look of disbelief. "Are you crazy?!" The woman shot a look at the man before she spoke. "We should discuss this in private. Meet me at the Stonefall Tavern in ten minutes. I will explain what I can there." The three hopped off their gigantic dogs before the large party left.  
  
"Dammit!! Now what do we do?" Li clenched his fists in frustration. "We better meet our friend at the tavern. Maybe we could get some answers." Kero gave Strider an angry glare. "How can be so calm about all this?!"   
  
"By panicking, nothing is accomplished. It is best that we keep our cool. That way, we can focus on how to save Sakura." He walked towards the tavern with Li and Kero behind him. "I hate it when he's a know-it-all." "You and me both, kid."  
  
Shortly, the woman walked in. The group has been sitting by a table for only a few minutes. "Okay, lady. We want answers. What the hell is going on between you and the Sengir clan?" The woman gritted her teeth slightly. "I have a name, stuffed animal. It's Terese. As for the story between us and the Sengirs, it goes back four centuries."  
  
"Four centuries? That is when the clan started building Castle Sengir!" Terese nodded. "Ever since, there have been terrible incidents and other such events happening in Kjeldor. All thanks to those vampires."   
  
"What's the big story behind the Sengirs? Is there anything you know of how they work?" Terese leaned back in her chair. "All I know is that new members of the clan become a different person than before. Your comrade is dead. All that's left is a body with a demon in it."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
I hope this explains things a bit. Review and tell me what you think!! Until next time!!  
  
Next episode: Terese tells the story behind the war between Kjeldor and the Sengirs...  
  
  
  



	3. Song of Blood - Episode Three

Author's Notes: One thing to say...enjoy the story and give me a review!!  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of banding, Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Three  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Terese picked up her order from the bar and headed towards the table with the group. She took a sip of her drink. "Ahhhh...Maurice always knew how to mix an Ice Coaster." Li leaned forward. "You were going to tell us of the battles between Kjeldor and the Sengirs for the past four hundred years."  
  
She set her drink back down. "Yeah, yeah. According to the journal left by my great, great, great grandfather, Kjeldor stretched for more than five thousand miles in all directions. We were prosperous at that time. In fact, we even traded with unfriendly nations such as Balduvia. My great, great, great grandfather was a Kjeldoran Escort. Not very strong but able to band with others in times of need."  
  
Strider raised an eyebrow. "Banding? I haven't heard of that creature ability for the past few centuries." Terese took another sip of her drink. "The Kjeldoran army is possibly the only army that practices banding now. Back in the days of my great, great, great grandfather, most armies either learned to band or somehow neutralize the ability that the enemy loses a key advantage in battle."  
  
Kero looked at Strider. "Banding? What is banding?" The entity closed his eyes and started searching his memory. "Practically, creatures with banding can join forces with others during an attack or defense. They become one single creature for a moment. With this, combat damage can be assigned any way they want. They can assign a few points of damage to one member, some to another and the rest to a third member. One creature without the banding ability can be included in the band. Any special abilities belonging to an individual are not shared by the band."  
  
The guardian beast had a huge question mark over his head. "Say you join a band of two Kjeldoran Escorts. You have the flying ability but they do not. If you attack as a band, a creature without flying will be able to stop you." Kero gave a slight nod of understanding even though he still has no idea about the concept of banding.  
  
"We had no idea about the Sengirs until they attacked one of the villages near the border. All of the villagers joined the clan, including my great, great, great grandmother. I don't know all the details but that was definitely the trigger for the war." Terese paused. "We had to create the Kjeldoran Skyknights division in order to combat the vampires on a more effective level."  
  
"I assume the Skyknights all have banding?" Terese nodded. "With the Skyknights able to band, we can crush the Sengir's army one by one. Then we can go after the higher members of the clan itself."  
  
Li crossed his arms. "If so, how come there are still a lot of vampires in the army?" The woman's eyes narrowed. "It's because of the Baron, kid. He can regenerate his army. Not all of it but enough to keep us from directly attacking the castle. It's because of him that Kjeldor was reduced to a quarter of what it was four hundred years ago. Now all that territory belongs to the Sengirs."  
  
Chapter 6  
  
A knock came from outside the Baron's study. "Come in!" Veldrane strolled into the study with a small look of anger. "Is it true you're allowing our new member access to our mana supplies?" The Baron looked up from the book he was reading. "Is there a problem?"  
  
Veldrane nearly exploded. "Don't you remember a little thing called the Drought?! I keep telling you that we have to conserve our mana supplies until we can destroy the Kjeldoran enchantment and still you do not listen!!!" The Baron yawned. "Calm yourself, Veldrane. The cherry blossom has powerful magic lineage. We must do what we can to nurture it. She may provide us with a solution to end the Drought."  
  
Veldrane snorted in disgust. "A human from another world can stop the Kjeldoran Drought?" The Baron placed his book down and got up from his desk. "The magic lineage in her blood includes a tiny bit of Light magic. We may be able to tap into that and use it to destroy the Drought."  
  
The vampiric knight sighed. "Ever since we brought in the cherry blossom, you have shown more kindness towards her than you have ever shown over four hundred years. There is something about her that is unsettling." The Baron chuckled. "Do not worry, old friend. The link will ensure her loyalty."  
  
"Let's see if you can work..." Irini Sengir took the new Artifact she had recently built. She had preserved mana for her projects ever since the Drought came into effect. If the artifact could work, then it would be another step closer to destroying the Drought.  
  
Ever since the takeover of most of Kjeldor, the plains had not been generating mana. The Kjeldorans have seen to that it would not generate mana for the likes of the clan. If the plains did generate mana, then it wouldn't be too long until a Disenchant fell into the clan's hands and the Drought destroyed.  
  
Creating an artifact similar to the Nacre Talisman was no easy task. Fortunately for Irini, in her former human life she was training to be an artificer. She took the mana from the Mana Vault and channeled it into her Onyx Talisman. "Okay, I'm ready!!"  
  
Sakura nodded as she channeled a bit of Death magic into her hand. "Dead soldiers of Kjeldor, arise to a new life!!!" The skeletons started coming out of the Kjeldoran graveyard. A Serf servant was offered to them as a sacrifice. The Kjeldoran Dead were eager to take it.   
  
The Onyx Talisman began to work. Slowly, the plains became vitalized and ready to produce mana. Nearby, a swamp was destroyed. This was due to the Drought. Anytime Death magic was used by the clan, a swamp belonging to the Sengirs was destroyed. This is the price that had to be paid for Death mages.  
  
"Yes!!! It worked!!" Irini gave Sakura a huge bear hug. "Of course it would work, Irini!! After all it's your artifact." They looked at the Onyx Talisman, glowing with pride.   
  
"The Baron is going to be sooooo proud of us!!" Sakura gave a smile. "I know what you mean...what are we going to do with the dead dudes?" The skeletons looked around, waiting for orders.   
  
"Now that you mention it, I have no idea!" A plan came up in Sakura's mind. "How about we destroy all the mana sources of Kjeldor with these guys? That way-" Irini caught on. "-the Drought would have to be destroyed!!" Both girls shrieked in unison with joy. The skeletons silently grumbled about teenage girls.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
This took me a lot of time to write regardless of how little it actually looks. I wasn't familiar with the old sets of Magic so I had to do a lot of research. Please give me a review!!  
  
Next episode: The group makes a startling discovery about who is tampering with the mana sources...   
  
  



	4. Song of Blood - Episode Four

Author's Notes: Hopefully, I should be able to finish half the season before school starts. Here's the fourth episode. Enjoy!!  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of banding, Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Four  
  
Chapter 7  
  
"I'm surprised the Sengirs have not attacked other villages. In fact, I thought they were adept at using Death magic. Apparently, they can't or they won't. What's the big deal?" Terese gave a grin. "It has been several decades since we set up the secret weapon. I'll show you."  
  
The party left the tavern and approached a heavily guarded shed. The guards approved her access inside the shed. "Here it is. The one thing that stops the Sengir clan from overtaking the population of Kjeldor." Li's face fell. "A Drought?"   
  
Strider immediately understood. "The Drought forces the vampires to conserve their mana resources. If they use any type of Death spell or ability, the Drought destroys the number of swamps equal to the number of Death mana required for the spell or ability!" Terese nodded. "It was hard to set this up in the first place, especially with Irini Sengir increasing the mana cost of the original spell dramatically. We still got it out. All we have to do is keep paying the mana cost to maintain it."  
  
The group headed out of the shed and started walking back to the tavern. "We have to constantly use Light mana to maintain it. We use the plains on which the village was built on to generate the mana." Terese patted the land. "Our good old reliable mana source."  
  
"Aren't you worried about land destruction spells? There are some Death land destruction spells like Rain of Tears and Despoil." Terese snorted. "We were able to hunt down all the sorcerers in Kjeldor that created land destruction and confiscated their cards. Then we used an Afterlife spell to turn them into humble members of the community."   
  
"So the only type of mana the Sengirs can produce is Death mana?" the woman nodded. "That and maybe Light mana. That's if they could unlock the traps we set on the plains they conquered."  
  
"As far as I'm concerned, only Water magic, Nature magic and artifacts can do that." Terese's eyes went wide. "We recently lost a Nacre Talisman due to a raid from the Sengir clan!! We thought it's useless to them!!"  
  
"Not necessarily. They might be able to modify it to something else that can react on Death magic." Kero piped up. "How can they modify it? I don't think Sakura's a science expert." "Not Sakura. Probably someone else," murmured Li.  
  
"We checked out the possibilities. There are no members of the clan with any experience with artifact creation," stated Terese. "That's not important right now. What's important is that I give you a Null Brooch to counter any attempts to destroy the Drought." Strider searched his pockets for the card.  
  
Li heard a small commotion over by the shed. "I don't think that it really matters if the mana upkeep cannot be paid." Terese turned to glare at the Chinese boy. "What are you saying?" He pointed to the skeletons that were creeping near the shed. "I'm saying that three skeletons are planning to blow up the land."  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The party rushed over to where the skeletons were busy. They were setting fire to the plains. "Damn!! Someone get fire control teams over here!!" One of the skeletons laughed. "It is of no use. The flames will spread too fast. The Drought will be destroyed."  
  
"What are these things?" Kero recoiled in horror. "They have a familiar aura..." Strider turned his head sharply to Li. "Sakura is the one who summoned these skeletons. She's the controller."   
  
Terese saw a necklace worn by one of the skeletons. "I recognize that necklace...it's a necklace of honour given to heroes of Kjeldor." Strider clenched his fist. "Sakura has raised the dead soldiers of Kjeldor to do harm against their own kin."  
  
The skeletons attacked the party. Terese blocked one of the skeletons charges and countered with a bone shattering punch. Strider cast an Arc Lightning spell, killing the remaining two skeletons. "We better put out the flames, save as much as we can." The skeletons rose back up again. "What?! Impossible?!" Strider grumbled. "They just had to have the regeneration ability, didn't they?"  
  
"Now what do we do?" Strider took out his staff. "If you can't defeat them, capture them. Kjeldoran Dead, return to thy true form!!!" It wasn't long until the three skeletons turned into a Death card. "Crap!! The plains!!!" Terese rushed over to see that the damage has already been done.  
  
In an effort to save the Drought, Strider sealed it as a card. Until the Kjeldorans find a new source of mana, the Sengirs have freedom to cast whatever spells they want for the moment. "This is bad..." Strider looked at the guardian beast. "Do not despair, Kerberus. The abilities of the Sengirs are not to be worried over. The only main problem will be Sakura and her magic."  
  
"How are we going to solve that problem?" Terese cracked her knuckles. "We have to neutralize her by any means necessary." Li drew out his sword and put it against her throat. "I'm not willing to destroy Sakura until all the options have been explored," said the boy with a murderous glint in his eye.  
  
"I said it before, kid!!! Your comrade's dead and all that's left is a merciless demon!!!!" Terese roared. "We have to try!!" The temptation to kill the woman grew even greater.   
  
"Li, stand down!! We don't have time for this!!!" Li looked at the entity for a moment before sheathing his sword. Terese rubbed her neck for a bit before gruffly responding. "Alright, we'll play it your way. How the hell do we neutralize the threat?"  
  
Li stroked his chin. "I say we infiltrate the fortress and bring Sakura to Kjeldor. Then Strider can sever the link with the Baron. Basically the link is what's blocking the real Sakura's personality." Kero gave a grin. "Okay, I'm in." The Chinese boy turned to the entity. "Well, Strider?"  
  
The entity closed his eyes to review the plan Li formulated. In a way, this stood against something he believed in: the right to choose your own destiny. He couldn't just take Sakura away against her will from the clan. But Sakura is not thinking properly and perhaps a decision needs to be made without her consent. Still...  
  
"I will assist you but from here. I do not want to take Sakura away without her consent. You are going to have to find a way to infiltrate Castle Sengir on your own."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Come on, readers!! I need reviews! Is this story really that bad?   
  
Next episode: Li and Kero attempt to infiltrate the castle but they encounter some 'difficulties'...  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Song of Blood - Episode Five

Author's Notes: Exams are coming up and I've been getting swamped with homework. Anyway, enjoy!!!  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Five  
  
Chapter 9  
  
The Chinese boy stood there in shock. "What...?" Strider looked at him. "I'm not going to the castle." Kero flew up in front of the entity's face. "We need your help. Without you, it's almost impossible to get past the forcefield!"  
  
Strider crossed his arms. "You are going to have to devise a method to infiltrate the castle yourself." Li gave a small sigh. "If we can't get to Sakura, maybe we can draw her to us."  
  
"I can place Black Wards on the both of you. With them in place, the Sengirs will be unable to scare you off as easily. Sakura would probably have to come out and deal with the two of you." The boy stiffened. "So we'll have to fight her..."  
  
"Her senses have been heightened with the Vampiric Embrace. She should be able to pick up the Black Wards. Rather than using her vampiric abilities, she will have to call upon Clow Reed's magic from the Clow cards." Kero's ears perked up. "I remember!! The cards got absorbed and became a part of her..." "...and those cards don't have Death magic running through them meaning she can still use them against us," finished Li grimly.  
  
"We'll give you a shout from our minds if we need anything." The duo turned towards the direction in which Castle Sengir lay. Terese snorted and went to the tavern. "Li, use this to grab the Sengirs attention." Li turned to catch the card that floated up to him. "Strider...?" The Mist lay in Li's palm.   
  
"I picked this fellow up in Earth 096. There, it took Kero a year to finally convince Sakura to become the cardcaptor and you were just a normal kid. If it wasn't for me, the Mist would have already trashed every single building around the world." Strider cast the Black Ward spells before Li activated the Dash card and sped off towards Castle Sengir. The Defender watched as they disappeared from sight. He silently wished them luck before he went back to the tavern.  
  
Sparks were flying as Veldrane sharpened his sword. "You know, it's not going to get any sharper." The knight noticed the Baron, leaning on the doorway. "I have to keep myself occupied until we can attack another village. I practically had a schedule until the cherry blossom arrived. I'm amazed at how I've kept myself busy all this time."   
  
The Baron chuckled. "Don't worry, my friend. You'll see some action tomorrow evening." Veldrane took a few practice swings with his blade. "Really? Aren't you worried about our new recruit? After all, she clearly doesn't wish to do harm unless it's in self-defense."  
  
"The perimeter forcefield has picked up two objects, coming at a tremendous speed. I can only assume it's the cherry blossom's friends." The sword flew up from Veldrane's hands and landed in its sheath on his back. "So what? You'll probably send her out to destroy them or something. But she can't because fragments of righteousness still exist in her soul."  
  
"Consider this a test to see whether we eradicated what's pure and good about her. From the knowledge I gathered from the mind probe, the Defender will undoubtedly come up with a plan to take her away from us. In that case, we will have to conduct a rescue mission and launch a counterattack."   
  
Chapter 10  
  
"The Mist, huh? That should grab their attention." Kero gave a grin. Li held up the card. "Mist card, cleanse the land of this dark place!!!" He struck the card with the tip of his blade. A green mist flew from the card and flew towards the castle.   
  
"Wind!!!" A huge gust blew the mist away from the fortress. Kero smirked. "There's the catch. Now comes the hard part of reeling her in." He turned to see the Chinese boy, turning the colour of a tomato. "NOT NOW, KID!!!!!"  
  
The Clow mistress hovered above. "If I can't destroy you with the Sengir's magic, the Clow cards will have to do." She raised her arm. "Wood!!!" A huge forest started to surround the two. "Now, element!! Fire!!!" The fire was able to burn through the thick forest.  
  
"Storm card, blind this girl with your fury!!!" The card started channeling into a tornado whch headed towards Sakura. She flew around the tornado, barely avoiding the sides. She headed up towards the open top. "Thunder!!!!"  
  
The storm started dying down with the Thunder card neutralizing it. "Dammit!!!" The vampiress gave a cold smile. "I'm sure you'll remember the time when Shot almost got you. I think it wants another chance! Shot!!!!"   
  
The Shot card came at an amazing speed. Li barely dodged the beam. Kero transformed and attempted to attack the Clow mistress. "Sleep!!!" The beast started to slow down. 'Crud...not this...again...' Kero transformed back into his original form, snoring loudly.   
  
Li was running from the card. "Enough!!!" He whipped out his sword and deflected the Shot back to Sakura. She blinked in disbelief. "Shield!!!" A sphere surrounded the vampiress and absorbed the Shot. "Rather impressive. I wonder how you will fare against the next spell. Erase!!!"  
  
'Strider!!! I need help!!' The Erase card started to form beside Sakura. 'Hold on a minute. Sakura has her guard down, right?' The card formed into a white mist that started heading towards Li. 'Use the Time card and I'll see if I can track down a spell in my deck that might be able to help.'   
  
"Time card, freeze the moment!!!" The Time card activated just before the mist of Erase hit Li. 'Strider, anytime now!!!!' The entity gave a small shout of triumph. 'If you can hold on for five seconds, I can send a little something to stop Sakura.'  
  
"Unfreeze!!!" The flow of time returned to normal. Li had gotten away from the Erase mist but it caught up to him at an amazing speed. He fell to his knees as his body started to become transparent. Sakura gave a laugh before kneeling beside him. "A noble effort but worthless in the end."   
  
Li gave a mischievous smile. "There was more behind it than you think." A white beam hit Sakura from behind, removing all of her powers and rendering her unconscious. Li's body became solid again and Kero was just finishing his nap. A Light card lay near her body, the Humble spell.   
  
'Humble practically turns powerful sorcerers into normal people for a period of time. The effects will wear off soon so you better head back to Kjeldor.' Li smiled as he threw Sakura on the transformed Kero's back. 'It looks like we're closer to getting the real Sakura back.' The entity agreed. 'Let's just hope there's enough of the real Sakura to save.' Li activated the Dash card and sped off towards Kjeldor with Kero right behind him.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
It's been a week since I posted last time. I'm sorry but you know how exams are. Give me a review and tell me what you think. Until next time...  
  
Next episode: In a desperate move, Li uses the Return in hopes of restoring Sakura's memory...  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	6. Song of Blood - Episode Six

Author's Notes: I'm sorry that I took so long to come up with episode six. But if I don't get feedback, then I won't know what you want. By the way, is my Dreamscape sequel a bit too corny? I guess I'll have to see what I can come up with for the next installment. By the way, I can focus more time to fanfics since my last exams are over!!  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Six  
  
Chapter 11  
  
"There. Your friend should be able to recover physically but she is mentally unstable. I will attempt to devise a treatment for her." The Kjeldoran priest rose from the bed where Sakura lay. "Thank you for your assistance. I'm actually surprised that someone in Kjeldor would be willing to help a person who has the Sengir curse."  
  
He looked at the entity with a warm smile. "I'm a healer. It is my job and duty to heal others, not judge them for their past crimes." Halvor Arenson rose to leave the small hut. "May the bounty of Kjeldor enrich your days."   
  
"So what do we do? Just wait for Halvor's treatment?" Strider crossed his arms. "It may take too long...I do have an idea that might be able to trigger Sakura's real personality." Kero immediately looked at Strider with a glint of hope in his beady eyes. "Well, what is it?"  
  
"You have to take Sakura to familiar places to remind her of the special times shared between the three of you." The guardian beast grinned. "We could take her home if you could open a dimensional gateway for us."   
  
"The problem is that with the Sengir curse, Sakura can only live in a dimension with strong magic. The land of Kjeldor has strong magic but Tokyo would be another story. She has to tap into the land's magic in order to survive and your dimension has no magic to tap into." Kero gritted his teeth. "There goes any chance of returning home for a while."  
  
The entity nodded grimly. "As far as I'm concerned, the only way to return home is for me to destroy those powers or at least disable all negative side effects. Unfortunately, there has never been a case in which the Sengir curse has been removed or the side effects subsiding." After hearing this, Li took out his sword. "She needs some sort of familiar atmosphere to regain her memory, right?" Kero sighed. "What are you getting at?"   
  
"Strider, I'll need you to make sure nothing happens while me and Kero are away." Li pulled out the Return. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!?!? That card will drain you of all your energy!!!!! Not to mention your own life-force!!!!" The Chinese boy rubbed his ear. "Boy, you can sure scream a lot for a stuffed animal."  
  
He stared at the card. "This is the only way for us to save Sakura. I know the gigantic risk but I have to take it." Kero sighed in defeat. "You're right...are you sure you can sustain the three of us?" A smirk came to the boy's lips. "Don't worry about it. All you have to do is help Sakura regain her memory. Perhaps you should pick a familiar event."  
  
Kero crossed his tiny arms. "Familiar events...how about the capture of one of the element cards? The Firey capture! That is the only element card she caught with you." Li started recalling that time. "Return card, show us the capture of the Firey card!!" The tip of the sword hit the card and started working the magic.   
  
Chapter 12  
  
Sakura woke up with a splitting headache. "What the..." She saw an amusement park with people enjoying themselves. It felt a little familiar...she dismissed that thought until she saw herself with Li, Julian and Meilin. She gasped in surprise as a tourist walked right through her.  
  
"Even though your personality has been changed, I'm sure your memory hasn't been altered that much." There stood the Chinese boy with the toy bear floating beside his shoulder. People were passing right through them as well. The giggle of that happy girl echoed through the park. "This was the time I spent with my friends."  
  
"Who would they be?" The names etched in her memory came to her mind. "Madison, Meilin, Julian, Li..." Kero held up a paw. "Now, you said the brat is a friend. Who is the kid in the park, marching beside Julian?" Li clenched his fists. He'll have to kill Kero another time.  
  
"That would be Li..." The memory started flooding her mind. "Now, do you see the amazing resemblance between this brat and that one? Logically, the brat on my right must be Li." "Will you shut up, you stuffed animal?!" The guardian floated up to Li's ear. "Listen, the only reason I'm calling you a brat was to awaken Sakura's memory of us constantly arguing." Li smirked. "Yeah...and also a chance to try out new insults."   
  
"You can't be Li...you fight for Kjeldor." Li sighed in slight disbelief. "We never aligned ourselves with Kjeldor in the first place!! When you attacked us the first time, it was just me, the stuffed animal and Strider. There were no Kjeldoran reinforcements. We're not the enemy."   
  
Flames started dancing around the scene. The Firey card has launched a rampage upon the park. "Firey..." A small smile came to the Chinese boy's lips. "This is the first element card we caught together." Kero gave a grin. "You also used the Windy and Water cards in combination to put out the Firey."   
  
Now the Clow mistress had lost all of her trust in everyone. "I don't know anything anymore..." She collapsed in pure confusion. The Return card was recalled to Li's palm. He forced himself to place Sakura on the bed before he sat down on a chair, exhausted.   
  
"Now what? I don't know if we actually did anything in there." Strider smirked underneath his mask. "Don't fret, Kerberus. You have been able to reawaken Sakura's genuine personality. Now the two personalities have to confront each other. Until then, there's no telling what will happen to her."   
  
The entity crossed his arms. "She's searching for her heart. Similar to the boy who caused so much suffering as something he is not." Kero raised an eyebrow. "I'm just saying that it could be a while before anything happens."  
  
"A rather long while to be precise." The Defender turned to find a woman in the doorway of the tent. "I'm sorry to intrude on you. My name is Gustha Ebbasdotter, Kjeldoran Royal Mage, fourth class." Kero growled. "What do you want?"   
  
"I am only here to help as a repayment of a debt to Halvor Arenson. I have no alternate intentions." The mage knelt by the bed and felt Sakura's aura. "She is going through a rather intense battle with her personalities." Gustha took out a small orb.   
  
"Is that your remedy?" She smirked as she rubbed the orb. "Every act of destruction has a repercussion. I'm using this to intensify the battle she has to go through so the personalities would be forced to work together. If they do not cooperate, then your friend will cease to exist."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
I'm so sorry for the utter corniness of this episode!! It'll get better as well as my Dreamscape series. If you have a few ideas, I'm open for them!! Let me know in your review!!  
  
Next episode: A confrontation of the two personalities occurs as the Sengirs prepare to attack.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Song of Blood - Episode Seven

Author's Notes: Remember to submit your opinion for "Before the Storm!!" I will post something to clear up anything so don't hesitate to ask questions. On with the show!!  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Seven  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Black. It was all she could see. Total darkness. Sakura Avalon (thank Nelvana for the name change) couldn't see anything for miles but she could hear voices. They were all around her. Strider, Kero, Li, Meilin, Madison...the sounds were disfigured. She couldn't tell one from another.  
  
Sakura could sense some aura of magic surrounding the entire area. She started heading towards the source. In the distance she could already see someone else at the glowing sphere. She appeared to be a teenager, wearing a revealing, gothic outfit.   
  
Sakura moved in closer to the sphere and the girl. The girl then whipped around to grab Sakura by the throat. "Oh, it's you." She released Sakura as she went back to observing the sphere. Sakura got up groggily and stared at the attacker. The girl had brown hair and jade eyes similar to her own. "Who..."  
  
"You're extremely fortunate that I didn't destroy you where you are. The stupid Kjeldoran mage bonded our personalities together. If I destroy you, I go as well." She grumbled. The now confused Clow mistress walked over to where she stood. "You look like me. Are you me?"  
  
"Ding-ding-ding!!! What do we have for her, Johnny?" Sakura frowned at the amount of contempt her other self displayed. "This is the source of magic that I've been detecting." "What you've been detecting are the waves the Vampiric Embrace has been sending throughout our body."  
  
The scene drastically changed to one near a castle. Not Castle Sengir but an English castle. "Hide!!!" The vampiress grabbed Sakura as they hid in the shadows of the castle. Four soldiers were carrying the body of a knight. They lay the body down in front of a mage wearing black robes. She ushered them away and started looking through her books for restoration spells. Another stranger emerged from a hidden doorway. "Grandmother, how is our patient?"  
  
"What is this?" Sakura squirmed in the other's arms. "I believe that the Vampiric Embrace is showing us another one of its hosts. The question is who?" She focused on the knight's face, revealed after Grandmother Sengir removed the helmet. The stranger nodded in satisfaction and took out the Vampiric Embrace. "Arise from the darkness, Aragorn." The magic went into the man's body. Slowly he got up.  
  
"I..am alive. But how?" The stranger smiled. "It was simple sorcery, my friend. Nothing more. Although you are alive, you are also dead. You are now a member of our clan." The man smiled, revealing fangs. "I am honoured, my lord. From now on, I am Veldrane of Sengir." The three of them left through a portal.  
  
"That guy looked like Strider!!" "What?!" The vampiress felt someone poke her in the back. She turned to see two guards with their weapons drawn. She gave a small sigh. "Apparently, we are able to interact with the characters."  
  
Chapter 14   
  
"I'm going to kill that little punk who did this." Absolutely none of her powers were working and now they were both in a dungeon. "Will you please stop grumbling about how you're going to kill the person who put us in this mess?"  
  
She forced herself to calm down while the younger Sakura spoke. "All we have to do is grab the key of Clow and the Clow cards. Then we can escape." The vampiress gave a dry laugh. "You rely too much on artifacts and Clow cards."   
  
"What about you and your powers? I've had to sit here and listen to you, griping about how you want your powers so you can kill the guy who did this." The vampiress sighed in defeat. "You made your point."  
  
"Maybe we should think about what we should be doing. This could be some sort of test. Like the elemental card captures." The older girl snorted. "What could be the purpose of this test?" Sakura lowered her eyes. "I wish I knew that answer." Then at the same moment, a small voice spoke in their heads.  
  
"To make peace with each other."  
  
The vampiress gave a jerk. Peace with each other?!? Although she couldn't understand it, her counterpart was another matter.  
  
"I guess the test is for us to accept each other." She gave a small sweatdrop. Her older self would not think like that. To her, Sakura is a burden. "You've got to be kidding me." 'There's that attitude again,' thought the Clow mistress.  
  
"Well, the reason we're here is because our body can't sustain two personalities, fighting each other constantly. It shut down so we could talk or something." The vampiress raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps...since when did you start knowing these little things?"  
  
Sakura laughed. "A few pointers from Strider. There are many things our sub-conscious hides. They are revealed to us in strange ways. That's what he said." The other girl shrugged. "Alright, enlighten me, O Holy One."  
  
"Just think of opening those bars with a thought. After all, this is our domain." The vampiress started concentrating. The bars shifted open. "Telekinesis...an interesting power."  
  
"Actually, it was our combined thoughts that opened those bars. That's how the voice spoke. We were both asking the same question." They both snuck through the bars. The guard on duty noticed them and started to charge. The girls thought simultaneously 'Sleep'.   
  
The guard fell down, unconscious. The vampiress looked at her smiling young counterpart. She couldn't help cracking a small smile herself. "You know, once in a while you come in handy."  
  
She woke up, feeling slightly disoriented. The two personalities had been able to settle their differences. But what had happened while she was out? She slowly got up and staggered over to the entrance of the hut.  
  
There was chaos. The Kjeldorans were having another battle against the Sengirs. Thousands of Sengir Vampires and Sengir Bats were attacking the townsfolk while they fought as best as they could. The Skyknights weren't able to help. They had their own problems as well.  
  
In the distance of the now set-sun and the firey sky, she could see her comrades, her friends, preparing to face off with the Sengir Clan. They all uttered a battle cry before attacking the people who helped her ever since she was brought into this dimension.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Utterly corny, I know. I'll try harder next time, I swear!!! Ask me questions about 'Before the Storm.' I'm going to cross CCS with the Rifts RPG in that story. That should clear a few things. Keep asking questions and I'll come out with an info package of some sort, if there is a high demand for it.  
  
Next Episode: A startling revelation is revealed just as the Sengirs attack Kjeldor...  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Song of Blood - Episode Eight

Author's Notes: Consider this...it only takes a few seconds of typing for people to submit reviews. With reviews, maybe the author can get the fics out faster. Hmmmmm...  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells, some quotes and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Eight  
  
Chapter 15  
  
It was quiet just a while ago. The day had just begun to end and people were scrambling to get home to their families. Li and Kero have been sleeping for the past several hours ever since the Kjeldoran mage treated Sakura. Strider, on the other hand, has been worrying about the welfare of Kjeldor and whether they could hold off another Sengir invasion.  
  
To him, the Kjeldorans had nearly the same qualities he saw with the villagers he used to live with so long ago. Both qualities as a person and as a warrior. They had the edge in guile, skill, and valor. But in the end, only sheer numbers mattered. It wasn't surprising that was the reason the Sengirs were able to constantly raid with a high percentage of success.   
  
In the breeze of the wind, the advice that Tevesh Szat gave to Darigaaz before the entire Ur-Dragon crisis erupted echoed through his head. "Rule through fear, Darigaaz. Only if the dragons feel terror will they truly be your servants."  
  
How long will Shiv have until the dragons completely wipe out their area? Regardless of the large amount of resistance put up by the other dragons, the Ur-Dragon has been able to stick to its schedule of destruction.   
  
Kero gave a large yawn as he woke up. "Drink this, Kerberus. It will surely wake you up." Kero grumbled as he dunked his head into the mug Strider gave him and began to drink. His eyes opened wide as he gagged. "What the hell is this ?!"  
  
"It's called black coffee. Many human adults use it to start their day if they are not totally awake." The guardian beast snorted as he tried to wipe away the bits of coffee on his face. "Did you get any sleep?" The entity looked outside. "I don't require rest, Kerberus. I've been able to overcome the need for sleep. This way, I can be more efficient."  
  
"Come on, kid. Wake up. We gotta plan our next move." Li groggily acknowledged the guardian beast and went straight for the mug, thinking it was his usual glass of milk that Wei pours for him at breakfast. He took one whiff, shrugged and took a sip. "I see you've already developed a taste for coffee."  
  
He swallowed the mouthful before replying. "I had to get up at four-thirty in the morning for training with Wei and Meilin. Once in a while, when we really need something to wake us up, he would give us a little bit of coffee." Strider smirked underneath his mask. "I wouldn't finish that if I were you."  
  
Li looked at him with another mouthful swirling around on his tongue. "Kerberus had just dunked his head into that mug." The Chinese boy spat the mouthful right onto the guardian beast and proceeded to run towards the bathroom. Kero shook himself dry. "It's night time." The entity nodded grimly. "And when it's night time, the vampires come out to play."  
  
Chapter 16  
  
They could see the first line of soldiers of the army charging towards Kjeldor. "Li, finish throwing up and get ready to engage the enemy!" Strider took out his staff while Kero transformed. "Remember to stay close to Sakura. I don't want the Baron taking her away from us again."  
  
Li grabbed the Sword of the Chosen and rushed out along with Strider and Kero. Several Sengir Vampires flew, howling at them. They all leaped into the air. "Fireball!!!" Several of the Sengir Vampires disintegrated thanks to Strider's Fire magic card.   
  
Kero unleashed a massive flame-thrower attack while Li channeled his ki through the Sword of the Chosen to deliver powerful blasts. However, they still kept on coming. Strider took out a Death magic card. "Sheathe your sword, warrior, lest ye fall on it when stricken." Many vampires began to clutch their heads in pain.  
  
Kero and Li looked at Strider in bewilderment. "Seizures. A Death magic spell created by an acquaintance of mine." Strider blocked an incoming strike. He leapt forward to kick the vampire in the head. Another one went past him to go for Kero. Strider whipped his staff to hit it directly in the head. A clapping could be heard from the distance. There stood the Sengir clan. The Baron, Irini, Grandmother and Veldrane.  
  
"You have a member of our clan. We would like her back," stated the Baron calmly. Kero's lips curled into a snarl. "You took her from us in the first place!!" Veldrane took out his sword. "Do not speak to the Baron in this matter, ignorant beast!!"  
  
Kero fired a shot at Veldrane's head. He dodged out of the way but his helmet got knocked off. The trio all uttered a small gasp of surprise. The knight got up, pushing a bit of loose black hair back over his ear. "Veldrane...looks like you, Strider!"  
  
"Obviously, a parallel doppleganger. He must have made a choice that made him one of them. It doesn't matter. If I have to, I'll destroy him." Veldrane gave an icy smile. "Really? I thought you were the Defender, not the Destroyer."  
  
Strider stiffened. "Ah, yes. I do know about the story...after all, it was described clearly in one of the ancient Sengirs' prophecies. 'On the day of the Defender's arrival, the fate of the clan will be decided on the Hunter's moon. If the angel falls, then the clan shall live in glory. If destiny prevails, the clan will be eternally trapped in a void of no return.' The ancients were always crackheads but they had very accurate predictions about the future."  
  
Grandmother Sengir and Irini started towards the hut but Li blocked their way. Veldrane gave a small chuckle. "Ironic that the being you try to protect will be the one who causes your demise." Strider glared at his other self. "You forget that the future can be altered in several ways. You haven't fulfilled anything."  
  
"So far, all the events predicted by the ancients have already happened. By sending Tsabo Tavoc the gift of Shiv's Embrace, I was able to temporarily control him. It wasn't much but it did the job." Strider started to shake a little bit in fury. "You were the one behind the savage destruction of the village?!?"  
  
Veldrane's eyes widened in amazement. "You mean you were actually raised there before the Defender business started?? Aw, man!! The irony of this is pretty sickening!! Aragorn, one-hundredth generation descendant of Clow Reed, destroys the same village that brought up another Aragorn!!" Strider's eyes turned steel cold. With a battle cry, he leapt at Veldrane with amazing speed. Kero and Li also began to charge while the Sengirs prepared to counterattack.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
If you don't understand something, ask!! I had to learn that lesson from my bad marks in semester one!! I'm trying to destroy all the utter kiddiness that originated with CCS and turn it into a true piece of fantasy!! Basically, I try to integrate fantasy RPGs and TCGs into CCS. Maybe that'll explain a few things.  
  
Next episode: Sakura makes her decision whether to fight as an ally to the group or as an enemy...  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Song of Blood - Episode Nine

Author's Notes: I have absolutely no idea why there is a word count. Frankly, who would care? Just a little point to think about before reading the story. No offense or anything.  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells, some quotes and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Nine  
  
Chapter 17  
  
Veldrane barely blocked Strider's attack. Li and Kero took on Grandmother and Irini Sengir respectively. The Baron was about to go into the hut when weird looking creatures started piling up in front of him, creating a barrier. "Did you really think we would be that stupid?" Strider took another swing at his doppleganger.  
  
The Baron blinked in surprise. The last line of defense is saprolings? He then noticed the amount of Thallids being pumped up by Fungal Bloom to produce many Saprolings. They were all concentrated a good distance away from the hut. 'Damn, I wish I had a Massacre.' The Baron sighed as he walked to cut the source of the saprolings' power.  
  
The sword of the vampiric knight and the staff of the Defender clashed, creating sparks. "Your emotional outburst will be your downfall." Strider parried his attack, drew out a Fire magic card and activated it. "Planeswalker's Fury!!!" A card came from Strider's sleeve at random. The mana cost of the card flashed before forming a number of fireballs equal to that mana cost.   
  
"What the hell?!" Veldrane got hit by the first two fireballs before dodging the rest. Strider immediately charged but Veldrane used a judo flip to slow down the entity. He landed on his feet and whipped out another card. Veldrane groaned as he prepared for Strider's attack.  
  
Li was having troubles against the Abyssal Specter that Grandmother Sengir summoned. He jumped over the specter while charging for an attack. Before he was able to unleash it, Grandmother Sengir used her special ability to weaken the Chinese boy. 'Not again!!' He took out a Clow card as the specter started to draw near him. "Storm card, unleash your wrath!!!" The Abyssal Specter got caught in the storm as well as Grandmother Sengir. When the card was recalled, both the Abyssal Specter and Grandmother Sengir were unconscious.   
  
Irini quickly whipped out an artifact. "There's no way you can get around an Icy Manipulator!" Kero's legs started to freeze, making him vulnerable to attack. Before she could do something else, Li came in and destroyed the Icy Manipulator with a strong blow from the Sword of the Chosen. "Thanks. Now I must return the favor to Madam Irini here."   
  
He then shot two blasts that look like photon torpedoes (from Voyager, The Next Generation, etc. They belong to Paramount) to knock her out. Li just gave Kero a weird look. "Strider was nice enough to teach me a few tricks from the baddest mechanical beast of all...the Masticore."  
  
"Give it up, Veldrane. Grandmother and Irini are out of the game. You have no chance." The knight gave a smirk. "Really? Why don't we have the cherry blossom determine that?" Strider looked back at the hut in alarm. Sakura was at the doorway, disoriented. The Baron has already shut down the Thallids and is now flying back towards the hut. Li started to make a run for it as well. In an instant, the Baron flew over the Chinese boy's head and grabbed him by the collar. "Destroy him."  
  
Chapter 18  
  
"...what...?" Her senses have been dulled as a temporary side effect due to the fusion of the two minds. "This boy has taken you away from your clan. Also he is part of Kjeldor. That is enough reason to destroy him." "Sakura, you know for a fact I'm not of Kjeldor!! The only reason we got involved was because of Tsabo Tavoc starting this whole mess during the last battle on our world!!"  
  
"What the hell did you do to her?!" Li stared defiantly at the Baron. "We gave her back her real memories. Now she has to decide what to fight for. Nobody, not you, me or even Strider, can make that decision."   
  
"Fighting? Why fight? All it does is cause misery." The Baron groaned inwardly. The pacifist has spoken. "The Sengir clan fights to survive. The Kjeldorans also fight to survive. If we could share our resources, we would have but the differences between our cultures is too great for cooperation to bridge that gap."  
  
Sakura looked at the Chinese boy. "The problem with the Baron's idea of survival is that it's sadistic and vicious. If you can't share your own resources, then you should create new ones or expand the ones you have." The Baron growled. "We do what we have to do..."  
  
"By tossing away integrity, you stop becoming who you are. I would say that's the second most horrible thing a sentient being can do next to living without belief." Sakura's senses started to kick back in. "I thought you were better than that, Baron. Your clan are the aggressors in the war the entire time."  
  
The Baron paled. "The Vampiric Embrace showed something rather interesting. There was a map of the territory of this world on the table near the jail cell which my two personalities were held. Turned out that Kjeldor was a vast land...until you came." She started concentrating on her power. "Thunder," she stated in a monotone voice. Several bolts shot from the sky and electrocuted the Baron. He broke free and attacked the vampiress.  
  
Veldrane started to sweat. Strider turned back to him with an icy glint in his eye. "Your presumption is your downfall. Planeswalker's Scorn!!" The Death magic card weakened Veldrane greatly and he collapsed to the ground without much of a fight. Strider flew up and his staff morphed into a trident.  
  
"Irini Sengir, Grandmother Sengir, Veldrane of Sengir, return to thy true form!!" Three Death magic cards were formed. "That takes care of that." He hovered down near Kero. They could see Sakura and the Baron going head to head.   
  
"You treacherous bitch!!!" She blocked his incoming attack and countered with a hit to his stomach. "Shadow." The Baron felt himself being swallowed up by darkness. Strider came forward and tossed his staff to Sakura. "You can do the honours."  
  
She smiled. "Baron Sengir, return to thy true form!!" With that, the Baron became nothing more than another one of Strider's Death magic cards. Kero transformed back into his smaller form and Li wearily replaced his weapon. Sakura went towards the two of them and wrapped them in a giant bear hug. Strider gave a smirk underneath his mask. "I guess the younger Sakura is expressing her joy to see the both of you."   
  
The Chinese boy was too stunned to have a heart attack, to hyperventilate or to simply faint in shock while Kero was being deprived of air. Li turned red as he squeaked out his next words. "Shouldn't you change into something more normal?" Sakura released her friends and observed herself. "Actually, this gothic costume really shows off my legs." Strider groaned. "Now we know which personality is controlling the fashion sense."  
  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
Just a bit of conflict resolving and that'll be it for the third season!   
  
Next episode: Strider returns to his home dimension to reflect upon Veldrane's actions while the others stay to restore order to Kjeldor.  
  
  
  
  



	10. Song of Blood - Episode Ten

Author's Notes: A Cardcaptors trading card game?!?! They are going to get eaten alive by cooler card games such as Magic. Even Pokemon is better!!! Turn back, Cardcaptor Sakura, before Tsabo Tavoc and Pikachu decide to gang up on you!!! The preceding babble was brought to you by the good people of Inquest Gamer. You rock!!!! If I offended anybody who actually plays the Cardcaptor CCG, then I'm sorry. Also you have to get into a better CCG like Magic.  
  
Disclaimers: Card Captors belong to CLAMP, characters from Sengir clan, original concept of Kjeldor and all its creatures, non-Clow cards that are still represented as spells, some quotes and other stuff belong to Wizards of the Coast. Don't sue. I only own Strider.  
  
Song of Blood - Episode Ten  
  
Chapter 19  
  
Strider took out the card that held his vampiric doppleganger, Veldrane of Sengir. The picture on the card seemed to be taunting him like the real McCoy did right before Sakura's conversion and rebirth. "Hey, Strider. You okay?" The entity snapped out of his trance. "I am all right, Kerberus. We better help the Kjeldorans finish the rest of the Sengir army. You guys can start without me. I have some unfinished business. I'll be back for you later."   
  
Before the trio could respond, Strider opened a vortex and left Kjeldor. "Strider's hurting inside." Li and Kero both gave Sakura a confused look. "Veldrane was the one responsible for the attack on the village. The fact that he is Strider's doppleganger on this world makes it worse. We should start helping the Kjeldorans."   
  
Thousands of Sengir Vampires, Sengir Bats and Sengir Autocrats with Serfs following them flooded the scene of Kjeldor. "Kero, you're with me in the air. Li, you handle the ground troops. And remember to holler if you need help." She took of into the sky with Kero in his transformed state.  
  
"Fire!!" A wave of flames emerged from Sakura's palm and incinerated several Sengir Vampires. Kero kept using his new Masticore abilities to pick off the Serfs following the Sengir Autocrats. "Now, element!! Fire!!!" The small blast of fire wiped out many of the Sengir Bats.   
  
Slowly, the Kjeldoran army began to kill the remaining members of the Sengirs' army, regardless of their low numbers. Pretty soon, the sounds of battle had subsided and cheers of victory could be heard from the people of Kjeldor. The trio met up at the former shack where the Drought was stored. "That was easy. I guess we should tell Strider that everything's quiet when he gets back." Li and Kero nodded in agreement.  
  
"So...what's it like having two minds?" Li glared at the guardian beast. "Isn't that a bit rude?" A small sweatdrop formed on Kero's head. "Well..." Sakura laughed. "It's actually pretty interesting. There's one personality giving one opinion, the second personality giving another and it becomes either a dominant, where one opinion is fully expressed or a hybrid in which they are both partially expressed."  
  
"Does the vampire personality see us as friends or enemies?" She gave them a dark smile. "Do you want to find out?" Kero started to slowly back away as did Li. Then Sakura burst out laughing. "She tricked us!!" "You actually had enough brainpower to deduce that after all those video games have rotted every part of your mind?"  
  
A large flapping was heard followed by someone shouting "Holy S***!!!" Then sounds of what apparently was gutting echoed throughout the air. The trio started to head towards the source. There they saw the severed head of Terese and her body was ripped apart. Sakura felt the slight change in wind as did Li and Kero. They all turned their heads to see a large white dragon, diving towards them at tremendous speed.  
  
Chapter 20  
  
The vortex opened into the village, Strider's home before his ascension. He stepped out, surprised that the village was already filled with some life. The homes have been rebuilt and he could see children, frolicking happily in the central fountain.  
  
He headed towards the hut of an old acquaintance. She was always there to give him a bit of comfort when he couldn't find it himself. "Aunt Madison?" A middle-aged woman turned around and a smile grew on her face. "Aragorn!! It's been a while!!" She gave him a hug. He hugged her back before letting her go. "I just wanted to check if everything's fine."  
  
"As a matter of fact, the Phyrexian overlords had to retreat back to Phyrexia and save it from collapsing. They haven't came back then. Everybody's up and about with the plague out of their systems." He nodded. "I'm glad that the village isn't as soulless as it was before."  
  
"You came here for something else, didn't you?" Strider raised his hands in self-denial. Before he could speak, Madison silenced him with a finger. "Aragorn Avalon, I know that troubled look in your eyes so start talking!!" Strider raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you start calling me by my mother's last name?"  
  
"Your father's name is a bit complicated, especially when it came to Chinese culture. In the Chinese way, Li would be his family's name and Syaoran would be his given name. I guess that's why he referred his costume as the Li family ceremonial robes." Strider sighed in defeat. "There has been something on my mind. You know Tsabo Tavoc's time with the Shiv's Embrace and how he killed my parents?"  
  
"Go on." He took a deep breath. "Well, Veldrane was controlling Tsabo Tavoc at that time and Veldrane is my parallel doppleganger." Her face went slightly pale. "Oh, my." The entity clenched his fists. "In a way, I'm the one to blame for that incident."   
  
Madison placed her hands over his. "The only quality you share with Veldrane is your physical appearance. Your actions and your personality separates the two of you. Your similarities are only skin deep. You're not to blame for our misfortune."   
  
"I guess you're right. Thanks." Strider left the hut and headed towards the fountain where the children were playing. He took out a small toy that an old friend gave to him. "I guess your toy is going to bring another child comfort, Squee." One of the children came up to him, curious about the toy. Strider knelt down and placed it in the child's palm. With a smile underneath his mask, he headed back to Kjeldor.  
  
'Perhaps I should bring my friends to the village. At least there, they can be safe in a sanctuary from all the war and chaos around them.' He quickly exited the vortex to see that all the fighting has been finished. Kjeldor has won the battle. Sakura, Kerberus and Li were nowhere to be found.   
  
Strider stretched out his senses and located their auras. But when he got closer, he could also sense another aura. He kept dashing ahead until he reached the area. The entity uttered a gasp of surprise at the scene before him.  
  
END SEASON 3  
  
How about that? It's going to take time to get those ideas popping in my head so it might be a while before the next installment comes out. Please review!! I would really appreciate it!!  
  
Also, here's a little bonus for you loyal fans!! A little something to occupy your mind while waiting for the fourth season!!!  
  
Next Season: Chronicles of the Ur-Dragon (The following quotes were originally written by some staff members of Wizards of the Coast. I'm putting it here because it's cool.)  
  
Crosis is the eye of the ur-dragon, piercing illusion and darkness.  
Darigaaz is the breath of the ur-dragon, burning away the burdens of mortality.  
Dromar is the wings of the ur-dragon, sweeping away all opposition.  
Rith is the claw of the ur-dragon, scattering seeds of devastation.  
Treva is the voice of the ur-dragon, demanding cries of worship.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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